Oil protestors in the Bay of Plenty are standing strong in their bid to stop oil exploration in the country.
Ohope's Christine Larsen says New Zealand should stick to its green and clean image.
'Burning fossil fuels is only creating more carbon emissions,” says Christine.
'The oil is sold offshore and New Zealand only receives two per cent of the profits; hardly worth it.
'The accidents that continue to happen in offshore drilling are a threat to all of the above – expanding offshore oil drilling is not the answer, embracing clean energy is.”
The government has released a statement saying New Zealand is one of the top five countries to invest in for petroleum exploration.
'A global survey of around 500 petroleum companies has ranked New Zealand as the fifth best country for investment in oil and gas exploration,” says Acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata.
Christine says the government has granted Petrobras a five year oil exploration permit to explore for oil in the Raukumara Basin, just off the East Coast.
'If there is an accident, Petrobras doesn't have the equipment to clean it up so the responsibility will fall on New Zealand and the cost will be burdened by ratepayers.”
10 comments
Clean green mean and broke ?
Posted on 05-07-2011 17:02 | By Hebegeebies
MS Larsen sure robust checks balances and safeguards must be in place and I think everyone would agree we do not need an oil rig accident.What exactly is 'clean energy' please define it and incidentally a minor point it will be NZ taxpayers that pick up the tab not just local ratepayers.Won't be a lot left in the kitty after Christchurch disaster and the Leaky building fiasco has finished with us -could account for $60billion.
100 in favour for every 1 against...
Posted on 05-07-2011 17:40 | By wreck1080
These protestors are in the minority. I bet these nimbies are hypocrites too.
Use what we have
Posted on 05-07-2011 17:58 | By grahamwood
I disagree with protesters who are always against any mining or exploration for oil etc . So long as sufficient safety measures are ensured we have to try and exploit what assets we have unless we desire to be a 3rd world country in the future.
Oiling the palms or palming the proceeds
Posted on 05-07-2011 19:34 | By Hebegeebies
Grahamwood > > > provided failsafe safety measures are in place no argument however wouldn't be to certain about Petrobras ability to achieve this.Unfortunately in many ways we are a third world country already and the continuous ill conceived rortious Waitangi claims do nothing to help.Its always the usual suspects involved and every day is Ground Hog Day sooner or later its gotta stop.
Can't live without it.
Posted on 05-07-2011 19:39 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
I bet they walk every where in bare feet and make their own clothing from locally grown plants or animals and live in locally grown wooden houses and write with charcoal and communicate with smoke signals.These people are hipocrytes and want us to do as they say and not do as they do.
@ GRAHAM WOOD
Posted on 06-07-2011 04:05 | By DRONE
There must be saw dust left and that is all ... you have clearly missed a couple of decades of exciting things that happened, a couple of examples are: Exxon Veldez and BP Gulf of Mexico platform, go look mate and come back and tell us when you got yourself past the 19 th century.
Why the hostility?
Posted on 06-07-2011 07:38 | By wilma
I recall wreck1080 commenting similarly on the article about Hands Across the Sand. I, too, commented then that name-calling, i.e. accusing those who care about the Bay's environment of being hypocrites isn't actually an argument FOR drilling off the coast. But, I'll do the same thing: do you ever go tramping or walking or picnicking in a protected area/park/conservation land and enjoy it? Like fresh drinkable water or streams and lakes and rivers that still have life in them? Mean old greenie nimbies and "hypocrites" protested for all those things, too. We welcome robust debate, but the hostility and name calling is a bit negative.
Hope no hypocrisy here
Posted on 06-07-2011 10:19 | By Inconvenient Truth
If Christine and the other protesters don't use petrol, diesel, electricity, plastics, computers etc etc, I will have respect for them and their views. Otherwise it seems like not in my backyard hypocrisy to me.
oil exploration
Posted on 06-07-2011 14:06 | By Glen Clova
The day will come when we will have to use our minerals or we will be back to the horse and cart.If the greenies are serious they should be walking instead of using petrol from someone else`s backyard,the are dreamers.
hypercrites
Posted on 06-07-2011 16:04 | By The author of this comment has been removed.
When these bloody do gooding hypercrites arenot driving their cars, they are bleeting about the goverment not spending enough for their benefits and social services ,but god forbid its allowed to earn any money, by mining or drilling what is naturally there . They prefer we cut down the rain forrest to grow palm to run their cars on .
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